Downing: Boro can take positives from start to season

Middlesbrough midfielder Stewart Downing insists the international break provides the perfect opportunity for his side to regroup and reflect on the club’s return to Premier League life.

Aitor Karanka’s side have taken six points from their opening seven fixtures in the top flight, with only one victory to their name so far, a 2-1 win against north east rivals Sunderland in August.

But after Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Downing’s old club West Ham at the London Stadium, the Premier League stalwart insists Boro must take encouragement from their positive displays.

“I think the lads have played ever so well,” he said. “Yes we’ve lost some games – no-one likes to lose and it can affect confidence.

“But we’re a young team and it’s about how you lose those games.

“A lot of the lads haven’t played in this league before and we’ve got to take credit from the performances.”

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

With spells at Aston Villa, Liverpool and West Ham also on his CV, Downing is Middlesbrough’s most experienced Premier League player, and knows only too well how important Saturday’s point could prove to be come the end of the season.

And while the 32-year-old praised his teammates for their start to the campaign, he insists they still have plenty to work on during the international break.

“We didn’t want to go into the international break on the back of a loss and have been twiddling our thumbs for two weeks,” he said.

“We needed at least a point to get us back off the mark. The place is a lot happier, now we can take the positives from the West Ham game and move on to Watford.

“We can do better. The goals we’ve given away have been mistakes and if you make them you’ll get punished at this level.

“But we’ve done OK and if we’re a little more clinical we’ll win a lot more games.

“As long as we work hard and run for each other we’ll have no problems at all.”